All-terrain vehicles (“ATV” or “ATVs”), utility-terrain vehicle (“UTV” or “UTVs”), side-by-side vehicles (“SSV” or “SSVs”) and other similar vehicles are often equipped with a work implement to perform utilitarian work. For example, a snow plow can be mounted to such vehicles for displacing snow, dirt, gravel, soil, etc. The work implement is typically removably mounted to the frame of the vehicle via an implement mounting assembly.
Although several different configurations of implement mounting assemblies have been available on the market, most implement mounting assemblies can be categorized either as front-mounted (i.e. mounted to the front of the frame of the vehicle) or as underside-mounted (i.e. mounted to the underside of the frame of the vehicle). In most cases, both front-mounted and underside-mounted implement mounting assemblies are mounted to the frame of the vehicle after having been positioned (with respect to the frame) using a retractable cable and a winch that is mounted to the vehicle and operated by a user. To position the implement mounting assembly so as to be mounted to the vehicle, the user first attaches the cable to an attachment point provided on the implement mounting assembly. Then the user operates the winch to retract the cable and lift the implement mounting assembly off the ground (and, if necessary, moves the vehicle to position the implement mounting assembly with respect to the frame mounts). After the implement mounting assembly has been mounted to the frame of the vehicle, the user detaches the cable from the attachment point and attaches the cable to another attachment point of the implement mounting assembly. This permits operation of the implement mounting assembly and the work implement that is mounted thereto using the winch of the vehicle.
Under certain conditions, this procedure for positioning and mounting the implement mounting assembly to the vehicle is cumbersome and time consuming because the user has many steps to perform to position and mount the implement mounting assembly to the vehicle. As well, these steps generally require the user to get on and off the vehicle, and manipulate the cable for attaching and detaching it from different attachment points of the implement mounting assembly.
Therefore, improvements to implement mounting assemblies and to methods for managing the cable used to position, and mount such implement mounting assemblies to a vehicle, are desirable.